Writing instrument



March 6, 1962 J. G. MARBAN WRITING INSTRUMENT Filed May 2, 1958 United States Patent G 3,023,736 WRITING INSTRUMENT Julian Gutierrez Marban, Havana, Cuba (6233 Brookview Ave., Edina, Minneapolis, Minn.) Filed May 2, 1958, Ser. No. 732,511 Claims. (Cl. 1Z0-42.16)

This invention relates to Writing instruments and has special reference to a fountain pen of the divided reservoir type, having a common member for filling and effecting the transfer of fluid between the reservoir sections.

More particularly, this invention pertains to a fountain pen including a barrel having a writing element mounted on its forward end, and valve means within the barrel dividing the interior thereof into auxiliary and primary reservoir sections, there being a shiftable filling member associated with the valve means and providing a passageway extending from within the primary reservoir section to a fluid intake positioned beyond one end of the barrel, the filling member being movable to establish communication between the reservoir sections.

In the usual type of fountain pen, it is necessary to provide for the carefully controlled entry of air into the reservoir to replace fluid as it is used during writing. Due to the difference in weight, the air rises above the writing fluid and remains in this position regardless of the manner in which the pen may subsequently be held.

Since the air in a fountain pen reservoir is affected by the same influences as free air, it will expand or contract if subjected to atmospheric temperature or pressure fluctuations; Ordinarily, a change which causes contraction of air will not adversely affect a pen, and in some cases it may even prove beneficial by drawing into the reservoir any excess fluid which might be in the expansion chambers or fluid channels of the feed bar.

A decrease in barometric pressure or an increase in temperature, however, may easily produce an undesirable condition in a pen should it beheld in a position resulting in isolation of air in the closed end of the reservoir. Under these conditions a quantity of fluid, equal to the increase in air volume, will be forced from the reservoir and into the expansion chambers of the feed. If lthe expansion chambers are not of sufficient capacity, -a portion of this fluid will drip from the instrument and blot the writing surface or the users hands or clothing. It has been observed that this is a particularly vexing problem in air travel in which extremes of temperature and pressure changes are encountered in relatively short periods of time.

In addition, in filling the usual pen, it is necessary to completely immerse the point and feed in the body of fluid to insure that a full charge of fluid is drawn into the reservoir. Thus, after completing the filling operation a substantial amount of fluid usually adheres to the point and feed and it is necessary-to remove this residual fluid with a cloth or tissue to prevent it from blotting the writing surface or soiling the users hands Vduring subsequent use of the instrument. Also, the excess fluid in the expansion chambers of the feed should be removed to permit proper functioning thereof immediately after,

3,023,736 Patented Mar. 6, 1962 ICC cess because of their inherent disadvantages from the standpoint of maintenance or inconvenience to the users.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of this invention to provide a fountain pen which is not subject to the loss of fluid as a result of temperature or barometric pressure changes.

Another object of this invention is to provide a fountain pen which eliminates the necessity of immersing the writing element in fluid during the filling operation.

A further object of this invention is to provide a fountain pen having a large but controlled fluid capacity.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a fountain pen having a large reservoir divided into two sections, and manually operable valve means to control communication therebetween.

Yet another object of this invention is the provision of a fountain pen which may be lled with a separate pressure device adapted to transfer fluid thereinto.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a fountain pen having a divided reservoir and a common member for filling and controlling the transfer of fluid between the reservoir sections.

Another object of this invention is to provide a fountain pen which requires few parts, which may be simply and ruggedly constructed, which is inexpensive to manufacture, and which may be filled and used readily, safely and conveniently without undue care or concern on the part of the user.

Further and additional objects of this invention will be apparent from the following description when taken with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal sectional View of a fountain pen embodying this invention and illustrating the arrangement of parts as conditioned for writing or filling;

FIGURE 2. is a longitudinal sectional view of another embodiment of this invention, showing the arrangement of parts as conditioned for writing;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary View of the embodiment of FIGURE 2, showing a change in position of the parts as conditioned for filling or transferring fluid between the reservoir sections; and

FIGURE 4 is a sectional View taken along the line 4 4 of FIGURE 3.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly FIG- URE l thereof, there is provided a fountain pen 10 having a barrel 11 which is fabricated from a suitable plastic or similar rigid'material and which, for convenience in manufacture and assembly, includes forward and rearward portions threadedly or otherwise secured in a coaxial relationship.

A substantially conical shaped writing element 12 of the type disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 2,474,996, is threadedly mounted on the forward end of the barrel V11. However, it will be Vunderstood that other types of wellknown writing elements and mounting arrangements -may readily be employed. Provided adjacent the forward end of the barrel 11 is a friction ring 13 adapted to slidably receive a protective cap (not shown) the open end of which may abut the enlarged barrel shoulder 14 to create a substantially air tight seal for preventing evaporation of fluid from the writing element 12 and the feed bar 15. The feed bar includes on its rearward end a reduced shank portion which is mounted in the forward end of the bore 16 of the barrel 11.

Valve means generally designated by the lfigure 17 are provided within the barrel to divide the interior thereof into two reservoir sections, an yauxiliary reservoir section 18 and a primary section 19. While it is readily apparent that the valve means may 'be formed in various ways, it is shown in the embodiment of FIGURE l to comprise a transverse annular shoulder 20 having a substantially conical forward surface 4adapted vto engage a l Y 3 semi-resilient molded plastic or rubber gasket portion 21. This gasket is carried adjacent the forward end of an elongated filling member 22 and is frictionally retained thereon by a rigid plastic or metal insert 23.

The primary reservoir section 19 is desirably several times larger than the auxiliary reservoir section 1S, and serves as a sealed uid storage area of a size limited only by the desired external dimensions of the barrel 11 and to some extent by the filling method utilized. In contrast, the size of the section 18 is relatively limited and its volume is preferably calculated to insure that it is functionally balanced with the capacity of a series of transverse annular expansion chambers 24 in the feed 15. As employed herein, the term functional balance indicates that the expansion chambers of the feed are at least equal to if not greater in volume than the maximum amount of fluid which can be forced from the auxiliary reservoir section under the most adverse temperature and/or pressure conditions that the pen is likely to encounter in normal usage.

It will be noted that one of the primary features of this invention is the provision of a single common member for filling and controlling the transfer of fluid between the sections of the divided reservoir. This feature is provided by an elongated filling member 22 which is coaxially mounted within the barrel `11 and which defines an internal longitudinal passageway 25 extending from a Huid discharge 26 within the primary reservoir to a fluid intake 27 positioned beyond the barrel 1-1. The forward end of the filling member may be closed by a swedging or forming operation, or sealed by means of a closed end center bore in the gasket 21, which is carried by and longitudinally movable with the filling member. 'In normal use, a substantial part of the filling member 22 is subject to constant contact with writing fluid and, for this reason, it should be made of a non-corrodible metal alloy such as palladium silver or the like. Furthermore, it may be desirable to treat its rearward end adjacent the -iiuid intake 27 with a non-wettab-le substance, such as a silicone compound, to prevent the adherence of residual liuid subsequent to its immersion `for filling purposes.

Sealing means comprising a plastic or rubber disk 28 is mounted within the bore of the push button 29 and adapted to seal the iluid discharge 26 during normal use of the instrument. The push button 29, which has an enlarged shoulder 30, is slidably mounted and longitudinally movable in bores 31 and 32 of a cap member 33, and retained therein by an internal shoulder 34. To insure proper closure of the iluid discharge 26, a resilient coil spring 35 is mounted between the shoulders 30 and 34, thus normally urging the push button 29 toward the intake sealing position shown in FIGURE 1. The cap 33 is removably threaded to the barrel 11 and includes an internal annular stop 36 to jrevent inadvertent disassembly ofthe cap 33, button 29 and spring 32 upon their removal as a unit from the balance of the instrument.

The lling member 22 is normally in the rearward position shown in FIGURE l, thus closing valve means 17 to isolate the primary reservoir section 19. Even under the most severe temperature or pressure conditions, the valve will prevent escape of any air or fluid from the primary reservoir and in this manner eliminate the heretofore relatively common diiiculty experienced with blotting in the usual pen.

To open the -va1ve 17 and establish communication between the reservoir sections, it is merely necessary to press forwardly on the push button 29 until it abuts the stop 36. To accommodate this Vmovement between the two positions, resilient means 37 is provided to urge the filling member 22 toward the valve closing position. This resilient element 37 preferably comprises a coil spring mounted coaxially with the filling member 22 and between an apertured transverse wall 38 of the bar-rel and an enlargement-39 on the filling member. The coil spring 37, of course, should be somewhat stronger than the spring 35 to insure proper positioning of the various parts upon Vremoval of pressure on the push button 29.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various methods may be employed Afor the purpose of lling and flushing the reservoir sections. `One such method would be to form the barrel of a resilient material such as polyethylene to allow transverse deformation thereof upon the application of squeezing pressure by the user. Another method would be to employ a resilient sac, such as that illustrated by the embodiment of FIGURE l as means for permitting partial evacuation of the barrel. The sac 40, substantially tubular in shape, is mounted Y 4in the primary reservoir section 19 and includes an an- Y place to form a fluid tight seal with the internal wall of the barrel as well as the barrel shoulder 43.

For convenience in assembly the sac y40, having a reduced upper neck, may be turned inside-out and drawn over the forward end of the filling member 22 prior to adding the gasket portion 21. After properly positioning the sac on the tubular filling member, a non-corrodible metal collar 44 is clamped or spun tightly over the neck to eliminate any possibility of a uid leak, and the large end of the sac then moved toward the forward end of the iilling member to the approximate position shown.

It will be noted that the barrel -11 is provided with pressure means comprising a lever 45 which is adapted to act in cooperation with a pressure bar 46 to deflate the sac 40 and eifect partial evacuation of the primary reservoir 19. Due to the factors of appearance and safety, the lever :assembly is mounted in the reduced rearward portion of the barrel 11 and normally covered by the cap 33 except during the filling operation.

To ll the embodiment above described, it is necessary to unscrew and remove the assembly comprising the cap 33, push button 29 and associated parts, from the barrel 11. This exposes both the lever pressure device and the rearward end of the filling member 22 which includes iiuid intake 27. The uid intake 27 may then be inserted in a body of writing liuid and the lever actuated several tims to insure a full charge of iluid in the reservoir. Each time the lever is actuated, a portion of the air remaining in the reservoir is evacuated through the passageway 25, thus allowing atmospheric pressure to force a corresponding amount of fluid into the reservoir through 'fluid intake 27, passageway 25 and the fluid discharge 26 upon deactivation of the lever. If it is desired to fill the auxiliary reservoir section with fluid after at least a portion of the primary reservoir has been lled, the instrument may be positioned point downwardly and the valve opened Y by pressing the filling member 22. The iluid intake can then be reinserted in the body of :fluid to complete the filling of the primary reservoir.

In use, huid is withdrawn from the auxiliary reservoir 18 through a capillary cut 47 in a feed insert 48, from Y where it is transferred to the capillary slit 49 in the writingr element 12 throughl the feed fissure 50. The fissure 50 does not extend through the rearward end or wall of the reduced shank portion of the feed bar 15, which shank portion is press fitted in the bore 16, to provide a fluid tight seal with the cylindrical wall of the bore. Thus the expansion chambers 24 are isolated from the auxiliary reservoir 18 except through the forward end of the feed fissure 50 and are utilized only if temperature or pressure changes should create a condition resulting in expansion of air in the auxiliary reservoir. Under such conditions, fluid may be forced from the auxiliary reservoir 18 into the feed fissure 50 from where it will enter the expansion chambers 24 and temporarily remain therein in a manner well understood in the art.

The auxiliary reservoir 18 may be replenished from time to time during writing merely by operating the push button 29 to open valve 17 with the point positioned downwardly toward the writing surface. In addition to the eifect of gravity, it is observed that the sac 40 is partially deflated upon forward movement of the filling member 22, and the pressure created as a result assists in the transfer of liuid to the auxiliary reservoir. One of the features of this particular arrangement is that it is possible to wet the nib and feed, should they be partially dry, merely by actuating the push button 29 several times with the point positioned downwardly.

As a safety measure, the instrument may be inverted prior to opening the valve and then turned point downwardly to allow the ow of fluid from the primary reservoir 19 into the auxiliary reservoir 18, thus not only allowing the escape of any pressure from the primary reservoir, but also eliminating the slight pressure resulting from partial dellation of the sac 40 as a result-of forward movement of the filling member 22. Also, as an additional safety feature, it may be desirable to lengthen the shank portion of the feed bar so that upon opening the valve 17 the gasket 21 would abut the rearward end thereof and seal the center bore 51 of the feed bar 15 to isolate the entire barrel from the writing element and the atmosphere.

The embodiment disclosed in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4 is basically the same in construction and operation as the embodiment described heretofore, except that the lling member is adapted to be moved forwardly with respect to the barrel prior to the lling operation in order to position the liuid intake beyond the forward end of the writing element. This embodiment comprises a barrel 60 including forward and rearward portions secured in a coaxial relationship. A writing element 61 is mounted on the forward end of the barrel 60, with a friction ring 62 being secured between the writing element and the barrel and adapted to receive a protective cap which is not shown. Valve means 63 are provided kin the barrel to divide the interior thereof into an auxiliary reservoir section 64 and a primary reservoir section 65. As in the case of the embodiment of FIGURE l, the valve 63 comprises a transverse annular shoulder 66 formed integrally with the forward barrel portion, and a semi-resilient molded plastic or rubber gasket portion '67. This gasket is carried forwardly of the intermediate portion of an elongated filling member 68 and is vfrictionally retained thereon by a rigid insert 69.

The primary reservoir section 65 is preferably several times larger than the auxiliary reservoir 64, which is relatively limited in size so that its volume is functionally balanced with the capacity of a plurality of annular expansion chambers 70 formed in the feed bar 71.

The filling member 68 is coaxially mounted in the barrel 60, and provides a longitudinal fluid passageway 72 from a iluid discharge 73 in the primary reservoir 65 to a iluid intake 74 positioned beyond the barrel 60. The forward and rearward ends of the iilling member 68 are closed, with the iiuid intake 74 consisting of an aperture positioned adjacent the forward closed end.

During writing use, it is necessary to seal the iluid intake 74 in order to eliminate any communication between passageway 72 and the atmosphere. Accordingly, there is provided sealing means comprising a substantially tubular member 75 mounted in a recess 76 which is coaxially aligned with a longitudinal center bore 77 in the feed bar 71. During manufacture of the tubular member 75, it is necessary to hold its internal diameter to very close tolerances in order to insure that it will form a substantially air tight sliding seal with the outside circumference of the lling member 68, thus effectively closing the liuid intake 74 except when it is positioned forwardly during the filling operation.

The filling member 68 is normally in the rearward position illustrated in FIGURE 2 to close the valve means 63, seal the iluid intake 74 and isolate the primary reservoir section 65. To open the valve means 63 and establish communication between the reservoir sections, the user may move the filling member 68 forwardly merely by pressing on its rearward end. To elfect transfer of fluid between the reservoir sections, it is necessary to open the valve means 63 only a short distance. Accordingly, there is provided a barrel cap 78 which cooperates with the barrel 60 to provide for limiting the forward motion of the filling member 68. As illustrated in FIGURE 2, this barrel cap is threadedly engageable with a threaded section 79 which is pressed or otherwise secured to the rearward end of the filling member 68. The forward open end of the barrel cap is slidably received on a reduced portion of the barrel 60, with a decorative metal band 80 being secured to the forward end of the barrel cap 78 to cover the space between the forward end of the cap and the barrel shoulder 81. The space between the end of the cap and the barrel shoulder, of course, determines the extent to which the valve 63 may be opened.

FIGURE 3 illustrates the change in the position of the various parts as conditioned for lling or transferring fluid between the reservoir sections. Although the above described intermediate position of the filling member 68 is preferable when transferring uid between the reservoir sections, it, of course, can be moved to the second position shown in FIGURE 3 if desired. ln this position, the forward surface of the gasket portion 67 forms a seal with the rearward end of the feed bar 71 to isolate the entire barrel from communication with the atmosphere.

To accommodate the movement of the filling member 68 as described heretofore, resilient means 82 is provided to urge the filling vmember toward the valve closing position. This resilient element preferably comprises a coil spring mounted coaxially with the lilling member 68 and between an apertured transverse wall 83 of the barrel and a shoulder 84 formed in the barrel cap 78. As in the case of the embodiment of FIGURE l, the gasket portion is larger in diameter than the transverse annular shoulder, Vthus providing a means of limiting the rearward movement of the filling member.

For filling and flushing purposes, this embodiment includes a resilient sac 85 which is mounted in the primary reservoir 65. The sac includes an annular enlargement 86 having an internal rigid collar 87 at its forward open end. The annular enlargement is adapted to be pressed into place in the auxiliary reservoir to form a fluid tight seal with the internal wall of the barrel as well as the inner surface of the transversewall 83 against which it abuts. A non-corrodible metal collar 88 is clamped or spun tightly over the inverted neck of the sac 85 to eliminate any possibility of liuid leakage.

When it is desired to condition the parts as illustrated in FIGURE 3, it is iirst necessary to rotate the barrel cap 78 (FIGURE 2) in order to disengage the threaded section 79, whereafter the barrel cap may be removed and the filling member 68 and associated gasket portion 67 urged forwardly by pressure on the threaded section 79. To lill the reservoirs, it is then necessary to immerse the uid intake 74 in a body/of writing fluid and manually squeeze the sac 85 to partially evacuate the barrel 60, thus allowing atmospheric pressure to force fluid into the reservoirs through fluid intake 74, passageway 72 and fluid discharge 73. The threaded section 79 may then be grasped and manually moved rearwardly to close valve 63 and fluid intake 74. The barrel cap 78 is reassembled with the balance of the implement merely by rotating it in a direction opposite to that used in its removal.

In order to prevent relative rotation of the filling memberf6S Vwhile removing or attaching the barrel cap 78, it is provided with integral `splines 89 slidably received in matching grooves 90 which .are formed in the feed 71. As best illustrated in FIGURE 4, the grooves 90 extend outwardly from the longitudinal center bore 77, with a plurality of fluid passages being formed between the splined section of the filling member and the bore 77 64 and the forward end of the feed bar.

'7 During writing use of the instrument, fluid is drawn from auxiliary reservoir 64, through Vthe bore 77, including the above described passages formed by lthe splined section of the filling member 68, through a capillary opening 91 and into the feed fissure 92 from where it is transferred to the usual capillary slit 93 in the writing ele-- ment 61.

The capillary opening 91 is formed by a depression in the filling member 68 and is provided in this manner so that during the filling operation a substantially air tight seal will be formed between the outer surface of the filling member 68 and the inner surface of the bore 77 of the feed bar 71 rearwardly of the opening into the feed fissure 92. rIhis substantially air tight lit is required in order to prevent entry of air into the barrel through the feed fissure 92 during the filling operation.

It is to be understood that although only two embodiments are illustrated and described herein, the invention is not to be limited thereto as many modifications may be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of this invention. As an example, it may be modified to eliminate the means for partially evacuating the barrel and adapted to be filled through the filling member from a squeezable ink cartridge or a container which includes structure for forcing fluid into the reservoir.

It is apparent, therefore, that this invention is not to be limited to the embodiments described above, and it is contemplated, by the appended claims, to cover any such modifications which fall within its true spirit and scope.

I claim:

l. In a fountain pen, the combination of a barrel, a transverse shoulder within said barrel dividing the interior thereof into auxiliary and primary reservoir sections, a writing element mounted on the forward end of said barrel in communication with said auxiliary reservoir section, a shiftable filling member defining a fluid passageway extending from a fluid discharge within said primary reservoir section and terminating in a fluid intake positioned beyond said barrel, a gasket portion fixed to and carried by said filling member and adapted for engagement with said transverse shoulder, and resilient means disposed externally of said reservoir-sections and spaced from said fluid intake for normally urging said filling member to one position to isolate said primary reservoir section from said auxiliary reservoir, said filling member being movable to a second position to establish communication between said reservoir sections, said barrel having provision for permitting partial evacuation thereof whereby fluid will be drawn into at least one of said reservoir sections through said passageway upon immersion `of said fluid intake into a body of fluid.

2. In a fountain pen, the combination of a barrel, `a writing element mounted on the forward end of said barrel, valve means within said barrel dividing the interior thereof -into auxiliary and primary reservoir sections, said auxiliary reservoir being in fluid communication with said writing element, and elongated axially shiftable filling member connected to said valve means and having a longitudinal fluid passageway extending from a fluid discharge within said primary reservoir section iand terminating in a fluid intake positioned beyond said barrel, sealing means operative closing said fluid intake, said filling member being movable to one position to close said valve means and isolate said primary reservoir section from said auxiliary reservoir section and to a second position to open said valve means and establish communication between said reservoir sections, and resilient means disposed externally of said reservoir sections and spaced from said fluid intake for normally urging said filling member into said first position, said barrel having provision for permitting partial evacuation thereof whereby fluid will be drawn into at least one of said reservoir sections through said passageway upon rendering of said sealing means inoperative and immersion of said fluid intake into a body of fluid.

3. In a fountain pen, the combination of a barrel, an annular shoulder within said barrel dividing the interior thereof into auxiliary and primary reservoir sections, a writing element mounted on the forward end of said barrel in fluid communication with said auxiliary reservoir section an elongated shiftable filling member defining a fluid passageway extending from a fluid discharge within said primary reservoir section to a fluid intake positioned adjacent the forward end of said writing element, a gasket portion fixed to and carried by said filling member and adapted to sealably engage said annular shoulder, sealing means engageable with said filling member to operatively close said fluid intake, said filling member being movable from the exterior of said barrel to a first position in which said gasket portion sealably engages said shoulder to isolate said primary reservoir section from said auxiliary reservoir section, and to a second position to establish communication between said reservoir sections, and means for permitting partial evacuation of said barrel whereby fluid will be drawn into said primary reservoir section through said passageway upon rendering of said sealing means inoperative and immersion of said iluid intake in a body of fluid.

4. In a substantially rigid fountain pen, the combination of a barrel, a Writing element mounted on the forward end of said barrel, a tapered transverse annular shoulder within said barrel dividing the interior thereof into auxiliary and primary reservoir sections, said auxiliary section being in fluid communication with said writing element, an elongated axially shiftable filling member mounted in said barrel and defining a longitudinal uid passageway extending from a fluid discharge communicating directly with said primary reservoir section to Ia fluid intake positioned beyond the rearward end of said barrel, a gasket portion having a tapered sealing surface fixed to and carried by said lling member and adapted for engagement with said annular shoulder, sealing means operatively closing said fluid intake, said filling member being movable from the exterior of said barrel to a first position to effect ,engagement of said annular shoulder and said gasket portion to isolate said primary reservoir section from said auxiliary reservoir section, and to a second position to space said gasket and said shoulder lto establish communication between said reservoir sections and said writing element, resilient means disposed externally of said reservoir sections and spaced from said fluid intake and normally urging said lling member into said first position, and means within said barrel for partially evacuating the interior thereof whereby fluid will be drawn into said primary reservoir section through said passageway upon rendering of said sealing means inoperative and immersion of said fluid intake in a body of fluid.

5. A fountain pen including a barrel, a writing element having a writing tip mounted on the forward end of said barrel, valve means within said barrel dividing the interior thereof into auxiliary and primary reservoir sections, said writing element being in fluid communication with said auxiliary reservoir section, a shiftable filling member mounted in said barrel and extending beyond the ends thereof, said flling member being connected to said valve means and including a fluid passageway extending from a uid discharge within said primary reservoir section to a fluid intake positioned beyond the forward end of said barrel, sealing means associated with said writing element for closing said fluid intake, said filling member being movable to one position to close said valve means and isolate said primary reservoir section from said auxiliary reservoir section and seal said fluid intake, to a second position to open said valve means and establish communication between said reservoir sections and space said fluid intake beyond said writing tip, and to an intermediate position to open said valve means for the transfer of tiuid between said sections, and means permitting partial evacuation of said barrel whereby uid will be drawn into at least one of said reservoir sections through said passageway upon motion of said filling member to said second position and immersion of said fiuid intake in a body of uid.

6. A fountain pen including a barrel, a Writing element comprising a writing tip and a feed bar mounted on the forward end of said barrel, a transverse annular shoulder within said barrel dividing the interior thereof into auxiliary and primary reservoir sections, said feed bar includingr a capillary fissure communicating with said writing tip and said auxiliary reservoir section, an elongated axially shiftable filling member mounted in said barrel and adapted for engagement with said annular shoulder, said filling member extending beyond both ends of said barrel and providing a fluid passageway extending from a uid discharge located within said primary reservoir section to a iiuid intake positioned beyond the forward end of said barrel, sealing means provided in said feed bar and slidably receiving said filling member for operatively closing said tiuid intake, said filling member being movable to one position rearwardly of said writing tip to effect engagement thereof with said annular shoulder, seal said iiuid intake and isolate said primary reservoir section from said auxiliary reservoir section, to a second position to establish communication between said reservoir sections and space said fiuid intake beyond said writing tip, and to an intermediate position for the transfer of fluid between said sections, resilient means normally urging said filling member into said first position, and flexible means cooperating with said barrel and said lling member for permitting partial evacuation of said reservoir sections whereby uid will be drawn into said sections through said passageway upon motion of said filling member to said second position and immersion of said fiuid intake in a body of fluid.

7. In a fountain pen, the combination of a barrel, valve means within said barrel dividing the interior thereof into auxiliary and primary reservoir sections, a writing element mounted on the forward end of said barrel in communication with said auxiliary reservoir section, an axially shiftable filling member defining a fluid passageway extending from a iiuid discharge within said primary reservoir section and terminating in a iiuid intake positioned beyond said barrel, and resilient means mounted externally of said reservoir sections spaced from said fiuid intake and urging said filling member to one position closing said valve means, said lling member being movable to a second position to open said valve means and establish communication between said reservoir sections.

8. In a fountain pen, the combination of a barrel, valve means within said barrel dividing the interior thereof into auxiliary and primary reservoir sections, a writing element mounted on the forward end of said barrel in communication with said auxiliary reservoir section, au axially shiftable filling member connected to said valve means and defining a uid passageway extending from a fiuid discharge within said primary reservoir section to a fluid intake positioned adjacent the forward end of said writing element, resilient means mounted externally of said reservoir sections spaced from said uid intake and urging said filling member to a first position closing said valve means, said filling member being movable to a second position to project said iiuid intake beyond said Writing element and open said valve means, and sealing means mounted forwardly of said barrel and arranged to close said tiuid intake when said filling member is in said first position.

9. In a fountain pen, the combination of a barrel, valve means within said barrel dividing the interior thereof into auxiliary and primary reservoir sections and operable to control communication between said sections, a writing element mounted on the forward end of said barrel in communication with said auxiliary reservoir section, an axially shiftable filling member connected to said valve means and defining a fluid passageway extending from a iiuid discharge within said primary reservoir section to a fluid intake positioned adjacent the forward end of said writing element, resilient means mounted externally of said reservoir sections spaced from said Huid intake and urging said filling member to a first position closing said valve means, said filling member being movable to a second position to project said fluid intake beyond said writing element and open said valve means, and sealing means carried by said writing element and slidably engaging said filling member to close said tiuid intake when said filling member is in said rst position.

10. in ya fountain pen, the combination of a barrel, valve means within said barrel dividing the inter-fior there- Y of into auxiliary and primary reservoir sections and operable to control communication between said sections, a writing element mounted on the forward end of said barrel in communication with said auxiliary reservoir section, an axially shiftable filling member connected to said valve means and provided with a closed end projecting beyond the rearward end of said barrel, said filling member defining a fluid passageway extending from a iiuid discharge within said primary reservoir section and terminating in a fluid intake positioned adjacent the forward end of said writing element, resilient means mounted externally of said reservoir sections spaced from said fluid intake and urging said filling member to a first position closing said valve means and isolating said primary reservoir section from said auxiliary reservoir section, said filling member being movable manually to a second position to project said fluid intake beyond said writing element and open said valve means to establish communication between said reservoir sections, and sealing means carried by said writing element and slidably engaging said filling member to close said fiuid intake when said `filling member is in said first position, said barrel having provision for partial evacuation -thereof whereby fiuid will be drawn into said reservoir sections through said passageway upon movement of said filling member to said second position and immersion of said fluid intake into a body of fluid.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS McKay July 15, 1952 Koreska Sept. 13, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 

